Investigation of assembly mechanism of placenta by retroelement

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14566
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 42010:Animal production science-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science (2019); The University of Tokyo (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Kusama Kazuya 東京薬科大学, 薬学部, 助教 (30579149)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 胎盤 / トロホブラスト / 内在性レトロウイルス因子 / 細胞融合 / 着床 / エピジェネティクス / ウシ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Placental formation requires trophoblast cell fusion in many mammalian species. In the bovine species, endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) proteins are expressed in fused trophoblast cells. ERVs are thought to induce cell-cell fusion in the bovine species, but molecular mechanisms by which ERVs are transcribed have not been well characterized. To investigate the mechanism by which ERVs were expressed in fused trophoblast cells, we performed global RNA sequencing analyses with bovine trophoblast cells, identifying important genes related by placentation. Of these, several genes regulated the expression of ERVs. These indicate that identifying factors could regulate trophoblast fusion essential for bovine placentation.

Free Research Field

繁殖生物科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本邦において様々な生産技術の開発や研究が行われているが、ウシの妊娠率は年々低下の一途をたどっており、その改善には至っていない。この原因の一つとして胎盤の形成不全が考えられる。本研究は、この胎盤の形成メカニズムを、内在性レトロウイルス因子(ERVs)に着目し明らかにしようと試みた。その結果、ERVsと胎盤形成を調節する因子を同定した。これは、胎盤形成不全による早期胚死滅の原因解明及び、その抑止につながり、学術領域だけでなく、畜産現場にも有益な効果を与えることが出来る。